Roll Call Tribute
Joseph "J. G." Savins '47 January 15, 2019 9:40 AM updated: January 15, 2019 9:43 AM
Jaynes Memorial Chapel obituary
811 S. Cockrell Hill Road
Duncanville, TX 75137
Phone: (972) 298-2334
J. G. Savins
August 15, 1925 - January 11, 2019
J. G. (George) Savins passed away at the age of 93, on January 11, 2019. He is preceded in death by Jeannette Hastings, beloved wife of 54-1/2 years, and grandson Ryan Christopher, and is survived by 7 sons and their wives George and Wendy, Michael and Janet, James and JoJo, Matthew and Debbie, Richard, Tim and Carol, Eric and Stephanie, 18 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren with one on the way.
George was an “Army Brat”, born August 15 1925 to parents Sgt. George Francis and Herlinda Savins in the US Army Hospital at Fort Sill Oklahoma. On Sunday December 7, 1941, serving as the “altar boy” for the Catholic Chaplain at the chapel in Schofield Barracks (Oahu) George and his Father experienced the onset of WWII as carrier-based Japanese bombers strafed nearby Wheeler Field and Schofield Barracks. In early April 1942 families quartered on the base were evacuated and returned by sea to mainland USA as the battle for Midway approached.
In 1943 George graduated from Martin High Laredo and was accepted into the Class of 1947 at Texas A&M College as a major in Science. On completing one semester in the Corps he was drafted, serving as a member of the 658th Field Artillery Battalion in Germany, and in England.
In 1946, preparing to resume studies at A&M, George and Jeannette Hastings met in a refresher algebra class. In 1948 they became engaged, and accompanied by a chaperone, Jeni traveled from Laredo to College Station to participate with George in the traditional “Aggie Ring Ceremony”. Every time Papa retold this story to 8 granddaughters the same question would be asked: “…Papa.what is a chaperone..?”.
In his junior year at A&M George was interviewed and promised, on graduation, a position as junior chemist at Magnolia Petroleum Company’s Field Research Laboratory (FRL) based in Duncanville Texas. Awarded a BS in Chemistry June 1949 he immediately joined the FRL R&D Group and married Jeannette exactly one year later. During the Korean war (1951-1953) FRL chemists and engineers, all WWII veterans, joined the local US Army Reserve unit of the Chemical Corps and George was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant.
George’s career as a “chemist” gradually evolved into a “generalist”. This diversity of research interests is reflected in 36 publications, the awarding of 12 International and 31 US Patents. The design features of the American Petroleum Institute’s “Direct Indicating Viscometer” is embodied in George’s 1st US Patent US 2,703,006.
The micellar-based fluid compositions and associated turbulent “drag reduction” phenomena George disclosed to the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) in his Preprint 1724 (1966), also claimed in his 6th Patent, US 3,361,213, also laid the foundation for what are currently referred to in hydraulic fracturing operations as “drag reducing” aka “friction reducing” fluids , e.g. “polymer fluids”, and “viscoelastic surfactant or micellar” fluids.
His patents included novel processes for promoting in selected strains of algae and other microorganisms the synthesis of biopolymers exhibiting rheological properties (thickening, gelling, easily flowable) useful in the formulation of drilling and fracturing fluids, designs for rheology-based mechanical clutches, means for facilitating the pipeline transport of complex fluids, applying rheological phenomena to improve the performance of gas-liquid separators, a process for the underground gasification of coal (UCG), and processes for improving the insitu recovery of coal and uranium values.
George “retired” from Mobil R&D on January 1 1985 and immediately accepted a position as Research Associate at the University of Texas Austin Balcones Center for Earth Sciences and Engineering (CESE) where he helped implement the creation of an oil industry -supported consortium related to the performance of oil-based drilling fluids. He mentored MS and PhD level graduate students at CESE and in the Department of Petroleum Engineering and provided consulting services to independent oil companies, a think tank, and a variety of oilwell service companies.
In 1988 George accepted the position of Technical Consultant to the R&E Group at NL Baroid in Houston. In 2004 the group was acquired by Halliburton Energy Services.Within the eve of his 84th birthday, George participated as coinventor (his 31st US Patent) in an application pertinent to managing the flow properties of oil well drilling fluids.
At various times in his career George was associated with The Society of Petroleum Engineers, The Society of Rheology, as an Assistant Editor of the Journal of Rheology 1969-1993). He was a member of The British Society of Rheology, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, American Institute of Chemists (Fellow), and The Engineering Foundation of New York.
He served on the Technical Review Committee for the Society of Petroleum Engineers Drilling & Completion Journal (1985-1989), was Mobil’s delegate to Tulsa University Drilling Research Project, and member of the supervising committee for an AAGA Pipeline Research Project at Tulsa on Two-Phase Gas-Liquid Flow. George is cited in the 1963 Edition of American Men of Science and received the Society of Petroleum Engineers Legion of Honor Award in 1983.
In Houston on April 6 2010 the American Association of Drilling Engineers inducted George into its 2010 AADE Drilling Fluids Hall of Fame. He was recognized for his 1st US patent and the impact of the “Direct Indicating Viscometer” in improving and understanding the flow behavior of rheologically complex oil well drilling fluids.
George organized and cochaired symposia, conferences, and sessions on various topics, e.g. The Society of Petroleum Engineers 1st Symposium: The Mechanics of Rheologically Complex Fluids Houston (1966), The American
Institute of Chemical Engineer’s 1st Symposium: Drag Reduction Atlanta (1970), The Engineering Foundation 1st Conference: Problems Relating to Engineering Disciplines Interfacing with Rheology Asilomar (1971), its Conference:Rheologically Complex Fluids Asilomar (1975), and The Society of Rheology 68th Annual Meeting: Drilling Fluids Session D Galvestion (1997).
The family wishes to thank Right at Home, especially Simone and Terry, and the medical staff at Bristol Hospice, for their dedicated care of George.
Visitation with the family is from 5 – 7 pm, (7:00 pm, Rosary), Wednesday, January 16, 2019, at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, 4015 S. Hampton Road, Dallas, TX 75224. Mass of Christian Burial is 11:00 am, Thursday, January 17, 2019, at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, Dallas, TX. Interment will follow at Holy Redeemer Cemetery, DeSoto, TX.
VISITATION
Wednesday
16
Jan
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church
4015 S. Hampton Road
Dallas, Texas 75224
7:00 PM, ROSARY
SERVICE
Thursday
17
Jan
11:00 AM
St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church
4015 S. Hampton Road
Dallas, Texas 75224
Cemetery Details
LOCATION
Holy Redeemer Cemetery
1500 S. Westmoreland Road
DeSoto, Texas 75115
811 S. Cockrell Hill Road
Duncanville, TX 75137
Phone: (972) 298-2334
J. G. Savins
August 15, 1925 - January 11, 2019
J. G. (George) Savins passed away at the age of 93, on January 11, 2019. He is preceded in death by Jeannette Hastings, beloved wife of 54-1/2 years, and grandson Ryan Christopher, and is survived by 7 sons and their wives George and Wendy, Michael and Janet, James and JoJo, Matthew and Debbie, Richard, Tim and Carol, Eric and Stephanie, 18 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren with one on the way.
George was an “Army Brat”, born August 15 1925 to parents Sgt. George Francis and Herlinda Savins in the US Army Hospital at Fort Sill Oklahoma. On Sunday December 7, 1941, serving as the “altar boy” for the Catholic Chaplain at the chapel in Schofield Barracks (Oahu) George and his Father experienced the onset of WWII as carrier-based Japanese bombers strafed nearby Wheeler Field and Schofield Barracks. In early April 1942 families quartered on the base were evacuated and returned by sea to mainland USA as the battle for Midway approached.
In 1943 George graduated from Martin High Laredo and was accepted into the Class of 1947 at Texas A&M College as a major in Science. On completing one semester in the Corps he was drafted, serving as a member of the 658th Field Artillery Battalion in Germany, and in England.
In 1946, preparing to resume studies at A&M, George and Jeannette Hastings met in a refresher algebra class. In 1948 they became engaged, and accompanied by a chaperone, Jeni traveled from Laredo to College Station to participate with George in the traditional “Aggie Ring Ceremony”. Every time Papa retold this story to 8 granddaughters the same question would be asked: “…Papa.what is a chaperone..?”.
In his junior year at A&M George was interviewed and promised, on graduation, a position as junior chemist at Magnolia Petroleum Company’s Field Research Laboratory (FRL) based in Duncanville Texas. Awarded a BS in Chemistry June 1949 he immediately joined the FRL R&D Group and married Jeannette exactly one year later. During the Korean war (1951-1953) FRL chemists and engineers, all WWII veterans, joined the local US Army Reserve unit of the Chemical Corps and George was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant.
George’s career as a “chemist” gradually evolved into a “generalist”. This diversity of research interests is reflected in 36 publications, the awarding of 12 International and 31 US Patents. The design features of the American Petroleum Institute’s “Direct Indicating Viscometer” is embodied in George’s 1st US Patent US 2,703,006.
The micellar-based fluid compositions and associated turbulent “drag reduction” phenomena George disclosed to the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) in his Preprint 1724 (1966), also claimed in his 6th Patent, US 3,361,213, also laid the foundation for what are currently referred to in hydraulic fracturing operations as “drag reducing” aka “friction reducing” fluids , e.g. “polymer fluids”, and “viscoelastic surfactant or micellar” fluids.
His patents included novel processes for promoting in selected strains of algae and other microorganisms the synthesis of biopolymers exhibiting rheological properties (thickening, gelling, easily flowable) useful in the formulation of drilling and fracturing fluids, designs for rheology-based mechanical clutches, means for facilitating the pipeline transport of complex fluids, applying rheological phenomena to improve the performance of gas-liquid separators, a process for the underground gasification of coal (UCG), and processes for improving the insitu recovery of coal and uranium values.
George “retired” from Mobil R&D on January 1 1985 and immediately accepted a position as Research Associate at the University of Texas Austin Balcones Center for Earth Sciences and Engineering (CESE) where he helped implement the creation of an oil industry -supported consortium related to the performance of oil-based drilling fluids. He mentored MS and PhD level graduate students at CESE and in the Department of Petroleum Engineering and provided consulting services to independent oil companies, a think tank, and a variety of oilwell service companies.
In 1988 George accepted the position of Technical Consultant to the R&E Group at NL Baroid in Houston. In 2004 the group was acquired by Halliburton Energy Services.Within the eve of his 84th birthday, George participated as coinventor (his 31st US Patent) in an application pertinent to managing the flow properties of oil well drilling fluids.
At various times in his career George was associated with The Society of Petroleum Engineers, The Society of Rheology, as an Assistant Editor of the Journal of Rheology 1969-1993). He was a member of The British Society of Rheology, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, American Institute of Chemists (Fellow), and The Engineering Foundation of New York.
He served on the Technical Review Committee for the Society of Petroleum Engineers Drilling & Completion Journal (1985-1989), was Mobil’s delegate to Tulsa University Drilling Research Project, and member of the supervising committee for an AAGA Pipeline Research Project at Tulsa on Two-Phase Gas-Liquid Flow. George is cited in the 1963 Edition of American Men of Science and received the Society of Petroleum Engineers Legion of Honor Award in 1983.
In Houston on April 6 2010 the American Association of Drilling Engineers inducted George into its 2010 AADE Drilling Fluids Hall of Fame. He was recognized for his 1st US patent and the impact of the “Direct Indicating Viscometer” in improving and understanding the flow behavior of rheologically complex oil well drilling fluids.
George organized and cochaired symposia, conferences, and sessions on various topics, e.g. The Society of Petroleum Engineers 1st Symposium: The Mechanics of Rheologically Complex Fluids Houston (1966), The American
Institute of Chemical Engineer’s 1st Symposium: Drag Reduction Atlanta (1970), The Engineering Foundation 1st Conference: Problems Relating to Engineering Disciplines Interfacing with Rheology Asilomar (1971), its Conference:Rheologically Complex Fluids Asilomar (1975), and The Society of Rheology 68th Annual Meeting: Drilling Fluids Session D Galvestion (1997).
The family wishes to thank Right at Home, especially Simone and Terry, and the medical staff at Bristol Hospice, for their dedicated care of George.
Visitation with the family is from 5 – 7 pm, (7:00 pm, Rosary), Wednesday, January 16, 2019, at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, 4015 S. Hampton Road, Dallas, TX 75224. Mass of Christian Burial is 11:00 am, Thursday, January 17, 2019, at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, Dallas, TX. Interment will follow at Holy Redeemer Cemetery, DeSoto, TX.
VISITATION
Wednesday
16
Jan
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church
4015 S. Hampton Road
Dallas, Texas 75224
7:00 PM, ROSARY
SERVICE
Thursday
17
Jan
11:00 AM
St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church
4015 S. Hampton Road
Dallas, Texas 75224
Cemetery Details
LOCATION
Holy Redeemer Cemetery
1500 S. Westmoreland Road
DeSoto, Texas 75115
505 George Bush Drive
College Station, TX 77840
(979) 845-7514
When Aggies see a need, their energy and their selflessness draw others into the cause, and good things happen.
© 2024 The Association of Former Students of Texas A&M University, All Rights Reserved